Method of making a cuff link



Sept. 11, 1962 F. P. CRONAN METHOD OF MAKING A CUFF LINK Filed Feb. 24,1960 FIG.5

INVENTOR. FRANCIS F? CRONAN BY ATTORN EYS United States Patent 3,052,966METHOD OF MAKING A CUFF LINK Francis P. Cronan, Attlehoro, Mass,assignor to Dolan & Bullock Co., a corporation of Rhode Island FiledFeb. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 10,657 4 Claims. (Cl. 29160.6)

This invention relates to a cuff link of the type in which one of theheads is fixed and the other head is movable so that the movable head ofthe cuff link may be manipulated for insertion through the button holeof the cuff and then moved to a position to prevent accidental removalof the from the cuff.

There have been various forms of cufi links of this general type abovereferred to and that form which is here particularly referred to is acuff link having a post formed by two spaced parts between which thereis pivotally mounted at one end a head which may be moved into alignmentwith the post for insertion through the button hole of the cuif, andafter the cuff link is positioned in the cuff, the head may be moved toa position at right angles to the post for preventing the link frombeing passed out through the button hole of the cuff.

Cuff links of this more specific form although they have the post inspaced form usually have the two parts of the post connected together.The present invention in the finished form of the cuff link has the twoparts of the post unconnected by any integral formation and theinvention here is directed to the method by which the link is formed soas to reduce the operations which are necessary and provide by so doinga less expensive construction of link. Generally speaking, the postexists as a single part in the initial stages of the assembly into thelink but is severed after its free ends have been attached so that thetwo parts of the post although separate in the finished form are up tothe point of severing connected together. By this method the post ishandled as one part by the assembler at all times.

An object of this invention is to simplify the method of assembly of acuff link in which there will be fixed and movable heads.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a post betweenthese heads formed of spaced parts but which in its initial form is asingle piece for the easier handling of the post in such assembly.

Another object of the invention is to utilize a U-shape piece which maybe severed to form two separate parts of a post after it has beenattached to the fixed head member of a cuff link.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cuff link of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation showing the fixed head with the post in U formsecured thereto;

FIGURE 3 is an elevation similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the next stepwhich has been performed of severing the bridge portion of the post fromthe legs;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURES 2 and 3 but showing the nextfurther step of positioning a movable head in position on the post; and

3,052,966 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 "ice FIGURE 5 is a sectional view online 55 of FIGURE 4 illustrating the internal parts of the movable head.

In proceeding with this invention, I have secured a U- shape post to therear surface of the fixed head member and then cut off the bridgingportion between the legs of the U-shape member to leave two spacedportions of the post. I then mount a pin adjacent the ends of the twopost parts which are remote from the fixed head and position on this pina movable head.

With reference to the drawings 10 designates the fixed head of the cutflink which on its obverse surface 11 is usually highly polished orornamented in some way. The rear surface 12 of this head 10 has a postattached thereto which post is designated generally 13. The post in itsini ial form is generally U-shape as seen in FIGURE 2 with its legs 14and 15 extending from the bridging portion 16 thereof. The legs flareoutwardly as at 17 as shown in FIGURE 2 and at their ends are turnedabruptly outwardly as at 18 which form feet portions. These feetportions 18 are secured to the rear surface 12 of a head by solder,welding, or any suitable means so as to be firmly fixed thereto. Thus,the U-shaped post 13 may be handled as a single unit for attachment tothe head 10.

After attachment of the post square openings 19 are formed adjacent thebridge 16 and the bridge portion 16 is then cut off or severed from thelegs 14 and 15 so that the link then takes the form as shown in FIGURE3.

After the link is thus formed as shown in FIGURE 3 a square pivot pin 20is positioned in the openings 19 and securely riveted over at its outerends 21 to hold it in place. The pin is positioned so that one pair offlat sides are parallel to the head 10 and the other pair are at rightangles thereto. This pin also mounts a movable head 22 which may bepositioned on the pin prior to the pins insertion into its openings 19.This head 22 is a hollow tube closed at its opposite ends 23 and housingwithin this tube leaf springs 24 which may bear against the flat surfaceof the square pin 20. As the surfaces of the flat pin are positioned sothat one pair of surfaces will be in alignment with the legs 14 and 15,while the other pair of surfaces are at right angles thereto or parallelto the rear surface of the fixed head 10, the movable head 22 may bepositioned in line with the post 13 comprising the parts 14 and 15 asshown in FIGURES 4- and 5 or it may be positioned at right angles to thepost as shown in FIGURE 1 and in either of these positions it will beretained by action of the spring on the pivot pin.

By this arrangement the post although ostensibly of two parts is alwayshandled as a single piece by reason of its U-shape formation and itsbeing severed after the free ends are attached to the head.

I claim:

1. The steps in the method of forming a cuff link which comprisepositioning the free ends of the legs which extend from the bridgeportion of a U shape member to the back of a fixed head member whilebeing handled as a single unit, attaching said free end to the head,severing the bridge portion from the legs of the U member to leave thelegs spaced at their ends remote from the head, and mount ing a secondhead adjacent the remote ends of said legs to pivot between the legs.

2. The method of forming a cufi link which comprises positioning thefree ends of the legs which extend from the bridge portion of a U shapemember to the back of 3 a fixed head member while being handled as asingle unit, attaching said free ends to the head, severing the bridgeportion from the legs of the U member to leave the legs spaced at theirends remote from the head, mounting a pin adjacent the remote ends ofsaid legs and a movable head on said pin.

3. The method of forming a cuff link which comprises turning outwardlythe free ends of the legs which extend from the bridge portion of a Ushape member, positioning the outturned end portions to the back of afixed head member While being handled as a single unit, attaching saidfree ends to the head, severing the bridge portion from the legs 'of theU member to leave the legs spaced at their ends remote from the head andmovably mounting a second head adjacent the remote ends of said legs.

'4. The method of forming a cuff link which comprises turning outwardlythe free ends of the legs which extend from the bridge portion of a Ushape member, positioning the outturned end portions to the back of afixed head 4 member while being handled as a single unit, attaching saidfree ends to the head, severing the bridge portion from the legs of theU member to leave the legs spaced at their ends remote from the head andmounting a pin adjacent the remote ends of said legs and a movable headon said pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS280,214 Miller June 26, 1883 1,357,739 Steenstrup Nov. 2, 1920 1,864,929Peterson June 28, 9 2 2,014,865 Schmidt Sept. 17, 1935 2,140,672 Gray etal Dec. 20, 1938 2,331,806 Shakespeare Oct. 12, 1943 2,463,465 MarienMar. 1, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 466,277 Canada July 4, 1950

